What Jerome Powell’s Confirmation Means for You

Like any American who has one iota of intelligence or historical perspective, I am outraged by our country’s loss of civility and direction at the hands of the Republican (now Trumpian) Party. The tax bill, in particular, is an assault on all Americans outside the billionaire class. The country feels like France circa 1788 and our least desirable elements are turning us into a banana republic.

However, Jerome Powell’s appointment is not an assault on Americans. Rather, it is a benefit to consumers. Powell is clearly intent on pairing back post-2008 legislation that was well intentioned but which has had adverse consequences. Rules applied to the banking system through Dodd Frank and other legislation were designed to protect the financial system from “too big to fail”, but have ironically created a situation where the 8,000 commercial banks that aren’t Chase, Citibank, Wells Fargo and Bank of America have been unable to be competitive for over a decade. Instead, they have been busy paying Accenture, Deloitte and Price Waterhouse fortunes to ensure compliance with obscure rules.

As these rules are paired back, Americans will find increasingly competitive savings rates and CD rates from banks geographically near them. Credit unions also will be able to compete.

10 Money Saving Tips for Seniors

Life as a senior brings all sorts of new challenges – good and bad. It can be a wonderful time, if you stay positive and healthy, enjoying new and old friends and doing the things you’ve always wanted to do. The key challenges one faces at this age are staying healthy and not blowing retirement resources carefully accumulated for this period. As studies show that Americans and living longer and more fruitful lives in retirement, you want to be sure that you have the maximum resources to take advantage of it.

Below, are my top ten tips for staying smart and financially comfortable as you age.

1. Move to savings and CDs.

The stock market has been appreciating for a long time. We know for a fact – based on our experiences from 2000 to 2002 and through in 2008 and 2009 – that markets do not only go up. They also go down. If you participated in the market and made money, count yourself lucky. If you didn’t, the last thing you should do is get in heavily now. As an absolute rule, retirement is not a time to play the market; we seniors do not have the time to recover from the serious falls in the market that inevitably come and come frequently. The smart and only thing you should do is keep most of your assets out of the market and to invest in savings and CDs, up to the federally insured limit of $250,000 per bank. Succumbing to market temptation is the kiss of death for seniors.

2. Downsize.

As you organize your financial life going forward, you should consider downsizing your home and property. There is a weight taken off when you no longer pay a mortgage, large property tax bills, and outsized utility bills. And, I promise, you will feel light footed knowing you are no longer, nor will your heirs be, shackled with the heavy burdens of large homes and related property. And, you will also pocket the difference and that will almost certainly will put an extra step in your stride.

3. Consider moving to a lower tax state.

While you are getting rid of your old homestead, be extra smart and relocated to a warm climate and a tax-free state. There are some really good ones now where climate and costs will both be welcomed changes in your years ahead.

4. Question your purchases.

It is always easy to buy new things and to give in to the temptation of the moment. But, as we get older, we also get wiser. Giving in to temptations of the moment are things we do less and less as we age. We have been there too many times – buying something expensive that catches the eye only to get it home and wonder why we bought it in the first place. So, my recommendation is to get even more serious about momentary urges to buy and to establish a program whereby you wait at least a couple of days before making any purchase, especially large purchases. Use those days to ask yourself several times whether that particular purchase makes sense.

5. Budget.

I personally hate the idea and have never been good at it, but friends tell me that making and sticking to a monthly budget saves a whole lot of money. What they do, and I seem unable to do, is set a hard line on how much they are both able and willing to spend for each month (obviously based on their projections of expected income and desired savings). They then literally stop spending money when they reach their limits – actually slowing down and holding expenditures to a necessary minimum as they get to the end of the month. While, as I said, I cannot do it, the logic makes all the sense in the world and holding to a budget you have set for yourself will undoubtedly serve you well.

6. Be Careful with your gifting.

One thing we are always tempted to do, and it’s a good thing in moderation, is to offer financial assistance to our children and grandchildren. It’s great for them, sometimes even necessary for them, but it is also a slippery slope. Many friends of mine have found themselves dangerously short of resources in their later years because they were too generous to their children. Often those very same children are so mired in their own expenses that they cannot return the generosity and help their parents later down the road. The obvious lesson here is to gift what you can while living, especially if your kids really need it, but to be always tough with and for yourself by making certain that you don’t leave yourself in jeopardy in your last years.

7. Travel, but do it wisely.

Travel is often a defining set of experiences in retirement that contribute to making life at this stage so rich. It can be done near home or as far around the globe as you desire. But doing it is great for your mind and body and allows you to grow and learn while feasting on rich and new experiences. All that said, however, the travel industry is just waiting for you, and usually not in a good sense. Cruise and travel packages abound designed to capture your imagination and to separate you from your money. It makes all the sense in the world to take advantage of the time you have and travel, but it is equally true that you can travel much more frugally by making your own plans and reservations and staying clear of the slick and far too expensive offerings of those who prey on older folks.

8. Hang up on con artists.

Among the best pieces of advice I can offer those of us who are retired is not to answer your phone. Nine out of ten times, there is someone on the other end who has bought a list of retired people from a third party and who is trying to sell you one or another useless, expensive and, most often, fake product or service. You know better; just hang up.

9. Be creative.

Few people believe that older, retired people have much of anything to offer the larger population. The truth couldn’t be further from reality. Older people have been around and if they have done stuff of interest, there is no reason they couldn’t continue as consultants or new business owners. My point here is that many older people have well honed skills and, even more important, insights and creativity that could allow them to continue, albeit not necessarily 9 to 5, to engage in new activities, even ones for handsome remuneration. In other words, don’t count yourself out because others think you are old. Instead, prove that you can be as good as if not better than others and that you can continue to make money from your own efforts and imagination.

10. Exercise often.

And, finally, the best thing you can do for yourself, and at very low cost, is the exercise often and regularly. Keeping in good shape and good health will save you more money than anything else, especially as it will free you of ever more expensive medical and hospital bills. And, equally, staying healthy keeps mind and body in shape to enjoy and take advantage of the rich array of experiences that only those of us in retirement can enjoy.

20 Simple Money Moves to Get on the Right Path to Saving for the Future

Anyone planning for their future – including you – is well served to try to set aside some of the resources that you earn today for tomorrow. At BestCashCow, we don’t believe that there is anything to be gained by living an unnecessarily frugal lifestyle like many other websites advocate. Life is short, and living a frugal lifestyle is silly! But, we do believe that there are plenty of easy ways to save for the future, without going overboard. Here are 20 of our favorites:

1. Put your savings in a high interest savings account.

The trillions of dollars that Americans lose every year by keeping their money in a low interest savings account is just startling. The most amazing thing is that it can easily be avoided if everyone would just check the best online savings rates here. If you have never opened an online savings account, you should read this article to get started. If you are still not comfortable with online banking, you can still make more by carefully choosing between and among local banks or credit unions. This is the easiest and simplest thing you can do to put more money in your pocket if you have any savings. Bookmark these pages and be sure to check back often as rates are going up!

2. Set a plan to pay off all of your high interest debt.

You cannot even begin to save if you are one of the millions of Americans who carries high interest debt. Make a list of your high interest debts and then develop a strategy for paying them off. If you don’t have the resources available immediately to lower your debt right away, consider consolidating it in a home equity line of credit or a home equity loan.

3. Challenge every recurring expense.

Challenge every recurring expense you have. Consider whether you really need all of your cable channels and other services you may be paying for monthly. Many people have been paying for a service so long that it becomes second nature, but that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t cut it out. Challenge yourself by writing down every recurring expense you have, then look for expenses you can fully cut out, and then find ways to save money on the remaining expenses.

Insurance rates – for health insurance, home and auto insurance and life insurance - are always changing. New competitors enter markets and others change their offerings (becoming more competitive or less competitive). Review all of your policies annually and make sure that they are the best for you. The cheapest isn’t always the best, but you may find the same or better coverage for less money when you shop around.

5. Make a practice of delaying large purchases.

When you’re considering making a large purchase, refrain from buying it right away. Rather, spend some time researching the product, and commit not to buying it until some time – such as one month - has passed. When you are less spontaneous, you end up only with the things that you really need and really want.

6. Wait until the end of the month or quarter to make your largest purchases.

All sales reps have quotas to meet per month or quarter, so if you wait until the end of the month to make a big purchase, you can potentially save a lot. Car salespeople especially work with quarterly quotas and buyers can score the best deals if they can wait until the end of the quarter.

7. Use electronic coupons where possible for things you need.

In general, physical coupons aren’t worth the time you spend accumulating and managing them. However, you should be on the lookout for electronic coupons that save you a lot of money on things you need anyway.

8. Take advantage of loyalty programs offered by the travel industry.

My loyalty programs for Delta, United and American Airlines over the years have subsidized all of my personal travel for decades (including many trips to Hawaii, Europe and Asia). My loyalty to Starwood and Hyatt has been equally rewarded. Take advantage of these programs. You can boost your balance in these programs with the right credit cards.

Your habits - good and bad – always work against you when you are trying to save money. Alcohol and smoking are obviously bad habits that are very costly (the cost of these habits should not be your main reason to quit). Vitamins, supplements and other so-called nutritional aides may seem like good habits, but they are, in fact, expensive habits designed to separate you from your money. Try eating well instead.

10. Reduce costs of your other habits (Brew your own coffee)

My most expensive habit is coffee and I can’t kick it, so I brew my own. Instead of spending $4 per cup at Starbucks or a real coffee shop, brewing my own coffee keeps the expense below 15 cents a cup.

11. Drink more tap water.

Water is better for your health and saves you a lot of money. Tap water is not only basically free, but it helps save the environment. Invest in a water filter for your home. The savings are especially great when you drink tap water instead of soda or beer when dining out (at least this works in New York City where the tap water is safe to drink even when it hasn’t been filtered).

12. Eat at home.

Eating at home is easier and healthier than eating out. It is also much cheaper. I routinely throw together a quick salad with all sorts of great and exotic fruits and vegetables from my local Whole Foods that I won’t find on any restaurant menu. If salads aren’t for you, try stir-frying or make homemade pizza with a ready-made bobboli crust.

13. Get paid to spend.

Maximize your credit card rewards by using the right card for your purchase. It is BestCashCow’s view that the most value can be extracted from travel rewards credit cards. Find the best travel rewards sign-up bonuses here and the best cards for your spend here. Those who don’t travel may prefer cash-back cards. Whichever you prefer, always be on the lookout for cards that might have multiples of the regular reward rate in certain categories.

14. Build your credit.

Whether you have good credit, fair credit, or bad credit, work on building it up. Your credit determines your eligibility for mortgages and home equity loans. It determines whether you can get the best credit cards. Potential employers will also routinely run credit checks on job applicants.

15. Save energy.

This one sounds so simple, yet is so often ignored by so many. Turn off the lights and the air conditioner when you aren’t around! Stop wasting energy. Preserve your resources as well as the earth’s. Maybe even adjust downward the brightness on your TV and computer screen.

16. Buy in bulk and buy generic when possible.

Costco can save you a ton. But, also think about name brand household products that carry the same ingredients as generic brands. Generics can often taste better or be healthier too. You can save thousands of dollars by simply buying the generic store brand instead of the well-known brand. Kirkland is Costco’s own generic brand.

17. Cancel catalogs and unsubscribe from email announcements from companies trying to sell you stuff.

Announcements of sales or cool new products make it very tempting to buy something you don’t need. Instead, stop the catalogs and emails from ever getting to you in the first place, and you will save time, money and the environment.

18. Exercise.

This is, in many ways, the most important piece of advice we can possibly give. Staying healthy is the best way to avoid costly medical bills later. Biking is also often the cheapest and fastest way to get around. Ask a Dutch person.

19. Clean Out Your Closets.

By getting rid of all the excess stuff in your home, you will make your life simpler and more peaceful. Let others benefit from stuff you don’t need any longer or that your kids have outgrown by giving it away.

20. Find happiness in life, not spending.

Psychologists have proven that people buy stuff because they subconsciously believe that it will bring them happiness. While you may really need an Iphone X, do you really need the iWatch and the latest Audi with Apple Carplay? This stuff will only make you happy for a day or two and then you will have buyer’s remorse. Try to find joy in nature, in exercise and in each other, instead of trying to get a kick from unnecessary purchases.

Now you’ve got 20 ways to save money. We hope you’ve read something here that will help with your finances and help you live a happier life.

BestCashCow is the most comprehensive bank rate site on the Internet. We scan rates from over 8,000 banks and 7,700 credit unions to find and display the best deals for those looking to earn and save more. You can learn more about the company here.

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BestCashCow is the most comprehensive bank rate site on the Internet. We scan rates from over 8,000 banks and 7,700 credit unions to find and display the best deals for those looking to earn and save more. You can learn more about the company here.